Steps after the Munich conference in 1938 that led to the outbreak of war in September 1939.

Summary

After Munich, Hitler marched into the Sudetenland.  

In Germany – 8 November (Kristallnacht) – the Nazis started to persecute the Jews.   It was clear that Hitler was a monster who ought to be stopped.   In February 1939, Franco won the Spanish Civil War.   The forces of fascism were winning everywhere and a mood for war began to grow in Britain.   Then, in March 1939, Hitler took over the rest of Czechoslovakia.   Chamberlain promised to help Poland if Hitler attacked.  

 Europe started to get ready for war.   In Britain, Parliament gave air raid shelters to the people of London.   The Russians, also, were worried and asked Britain for an alliance against Germany.   But the British made a mess of the negotiations and, in August 1939, Russia made instead an alliance with Hitler.

 At the end of August 1939, the Germans in Danzig rioted and demanded union with Germany.   Hitler threatened war and on 1 September 1939, he invaded Poland.   This time, Britain did not appease Hitler, so, on 3 September 1939, Britain declared war on Germany.

•   After Munich, the Czechs chose not to fight.

•   In October 1938, Hitler marched into the Sudetenland unopposed.   He declared: ‘Thus we begin our march into the great German future . . .’  

• Hitler ruled that other land in Czechoslovakia must be given to Hungary,…